SPRING CLEANING – It Can Change Your Life

 

What is it about the sunshine that is so motivating? Is it because we have been in hibernation for months and we are so excited that we just can’t resist the pull of that golden orb shining down on us, calling us to get outside and to do something? I don’t know, but as I sit outside and breath in the fresh air and look at the beautiful blue sky and hear the birds chirping it just makes me want to get going and accomplish something.

Now that spring has sprung and we have this gorgeous weather, it is the perfect time to shrug off the sleepiness of winter and to get busy like the birds out there building their nests. It surely is the season for new beginnings.

I believe everyone has heard the term ‘Spring Cleaning’ and it usually refers to homeowners washing windows, deep cleaning areas overlooked over the winter, raking out old fall leaves that settled in the yard to name just a few. While that always brings about a wonderful sense of accomplishment and is a great form of exercise we also can do another form of spring cleaning.

I am referring to some spring cleanup in our physical and mental state. Some of us might need a little weed pulling and clearing out the clutter in our lives that have crept in over time.

Clutter can play a big part in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and work spaces can leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Most people might not even recognize it as a significant source of stress in their lives. Whether it be their closet or office desk, excess things in their surroundings can have a negative impact on their ability to focus and process information. Neuroscientists at Princeton University conducted a study looking at people’s task performance in an organized versus disorganized environment. Not surprisingly, the study showed that physical clutter in their surroundings competed for their attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.

That is not to say that everyone must have clean and empty surfaces everywhere. Some people work better when there is some clutter going on because it makes them feel inspired to get some work done. It does not distract them but instead motivates them. The main thing is to create space that makes you feel at ease. Fortunately, physical clutter is one of the easiest life stressors to fix.

On the other hand, mind clutter can be a little more difficult to deal with. This is what I was referring to when I mentioned a little weed pulling. What kinds of things have sprung up and taken a hold of in your mind that are choking out the good stuff you want in there. Mind clutter can often be related to the past. Do you have negative thoughts that you have harbored over time, either about yourself, somebody else or maybe about situations in your life?

Most people keep a large ugly file cabinet stored in the back of their minds. The drawers are filled with mistakes they have made, people who have hurt them, people they have hurt, opportunities they have missed, and so on and so on. Really, just this one paragraph could be a whole blog unto itself but that will have to be for another time. For the sake of spring cleaning your mind, take some time and go through those mental drawers and make a decision to get rid of memories of the past that are not serving you well but dragging you down and cluttering up your current life.

Keeping a journal is another great way to free up your mind by jotting down thoughts and feelings that constantly interrupt your thought process when you are trying to get important tasks done. It could be situations you are worried about, goals you want to achieve or concerns about a relationship that aren’t going well for example.

Sometimes when our brain is so clogged up it can be hard to make a decision. However, putting it off just makes more clutter and can make life more stressful. And, because you are stressed out you just keep shoving the decisions to be made to the back of your mind but you know it’s there and eventually you will have to take care of matters. It really can become a vicious cycle so learning how to break it is beneficial.

We need to think of our life as a garden and determine what we want to grow there. As with all gardens we know how easily and fast weeds can creep in and take over. It not only takes diligence and patience to grow desirable crops but also the right fertilizer. Fertilizer would be what you are feeding your crops. Positive thoughts will make them flourish while negative thoughts will strangle them. Unfortunately, weeds seem to spring up overnight while the tasty produce can take months. But, I’d rather wait for a juicy tomato than eat an overgrown weed any day. How about you? The point being, pull the weeds, water the garden and feed it the right fertilizer and wait for the wonderful reward of a good crop.

If you are troubled with weeds that have taken deep root in your life and they seem to be choking out what you really want to be growing there and you need some help to remove them, I invite you to call me at (616) 516-1570 and together let’s get that garden weeded out and producing a productive life.